QUICK REVIEW: Flower

Of Zuckerman’s photographic books the one that’s made the most impression is Wisdom, in which he photographs well-known older people against a backdrop and in light which is at once unforgiving and kind. Each wrinkle, nose hair and skin flap is vividly visible, along with his sitters’ absolute confidence that they are more than the sum of their flaws.

I did not imagine that a series of flowers captured against the same stark background and with the same scrutiny of lens could be quite as enthralling, and yet Flower blossoms for the viewer.Each bloom becomes imbued with character: monstrous, coy, wistful, humble, extravagant – as though dressed for a wedding – or lashes-down-eyes-up, like a young woman in love.

One wouldn’t think flowers would need a hand in making themselves lovable to humans, but Zuckerman manages to nudge them into the category “superlative”.